Rim rolling machine



Jan. 12, 1932. c. L. WILES RIM ROLLING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1927 JNVENTOR: I? GlwrlasLJViZe-s; 1L

/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 12,1932

entree STATES PATENT oFFIcE CHAB-LES L. WILES, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BUD!) WHEEL COMPANY,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RIM nominee MACHINE Application filed March 19, 1927. Serial No. 176,681.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a machine by means of which rings of irregular cross section may be formed epeditiously and economically.

] The invention is described with reference to a ring of one specific cross section, namely,

a tire retaining rim such as is used to mount pneumatic tires on wheels, but is broadly ap plicable to any similar shape which presents a like problem of manufacture.

The preferred form of machine for carrying out the present invention consists primarily of" coacting opposed rolling dies having; faces as hereinafter described, but it is to be understood that means other than rollingdies may be utilized to the same end, as for instance, opposed reciprocating dies having faces of cross sectional contour similar to the cross section of the coacting faces of the rolling dies shown and described. If this is done, the reciprocating dies will, of course, be formed in a plurality of parts having arcuate radially movable rim engaging surfaces.

The accompanying drawings comprise' Figure 1, a sectional view of a fragmentary portion of a machine embodying the invention, I

, Figure 2, an enlarged partial view in section, of the rolls taken in the plane of the axes of the roll supporting shafts, and

Figures 3 to 6, similar views to a smaller scale illustrating successive steps in the formation of the rim.

In the formation of rings for commercial use such as are represented in the present case by tire rims, itis often impossible to obtain raw material in the desired shape for bending into a ring or if possible, to bend such material into a ring successfully. It has heretofore been the practice in cases such as the present one to manufacture rims of irregular cross section by bending stock of a somewhat similar section into a ring and then to give it its final. form, or to perform all the work of shaping the cross section after the ring has been completed by butt welding orgsimilar joinder. In the case of the present rim sectionshown in Fi 2, a pcculiar difficulty exists in that the gutter Gr of the rim is so formed that direct access to change of product.

its interior portions is practically impossible, thus rendering the usual rolling operations completely out of the question. In the past when it has been desired to form such a rim section, it has been done in'two steps, the stock for the ring being obtained in the form shown in Fig. 3. The first of these operations in the past has been to initiate by rolling a somewhat sharpened bend in the gutter G of the rim followed by another rolling operation which bends up the gutter bodily and causes it to assume an angular relation to the rest of the rim R, F as shown in Fig. 2.. In the present case the same result is obtained in the one rolling operation by means of rolls of the form shown in Fig. 2.

In the said Figure 2 rolls are shown, of a composite nature for convenience in manufacture and adjustment, by which the desired result is obtained. The upper roll U of the pair comprises portions 8, 9 and 10 separated by suitable shims as at 15 to provide for the adjustments necessitated by roll wear and The lower roll L similarly comprises parts 18, 19, 20 and 21 separated by similar shims 25 for the same purpose. The first named roll U has surfaces 11 and 12 on the part 8 thereof, which consist of two cones, the one 11 being of a greater obtuseness than the other 12, merging into the latter by means of an easy curve. On the part 9 of the upper roll U and adjacent the conical surface 12 is a substantially plane sur face 13 which in combination with the conical surface 14 forms a sharp projecting annular flange on the upper roll. The part 10 has a concave curved surface 17 and acylindrical surface 16 adapted to form the balance ofthe rim by cooperating with a convex surface 27 and a cylindrical surface 26 on the corresponding portion 20 of the lower roll L. The other part 19 of the lower roll L consists of a cylindrical surface 24 which is an extension of the above mentioned surface 26 of the part 20, a conical surface 22 which coacts with the surface 14. of the upper roll and a concave groove portion 23 which coacts with the edgeof the annular flange 13, 14 of the upper roll in defining the exterior shape of the gutter. The conical portion 22 pro vided with the proper dimensions to clear the portions 11 and 12 of the upper roll. In the closed position shown in Fig. 2, the upper and lower rolls define a closed pass of sub stantially the outline of the desired rim section. End portions 18, 2:1 of the lower roll are provided-to render the insertion of-a ring easier and more certain. Keys 6, 7 prevent rotation of the rolls U, L relative to the shafts 'S. -These upper and lower rolls are mounted onthe two shafts S of a-rolling'machine of the general nature shown in the atent to Grotnes, No. 1,428,778 patented Sept. 12, 1922 for a rolling machine. The said machine is adapted to rotate the two rolls continuously in opposite directions, to provide radial and lateral support for tl e rim which is engaged between therollsmnd to effect. approach and separation movements of the two rolls to enable the loading .of the machine with unroll'e'd rings :flillCl the unloading of rolled rims therefrom. Heretofore, similar machines :h'aveibeen used for the :same general purpose as that of the present vention but the production of the rimsection upper roll engages the lip of the gutter g of the rim section being rolled and starts to force it to curl over. At the same time the rim base fl is engaged by the surface 25 of the lower roll which begins to roll the base part of the rim .tOzL trueicylmdric-ai shape. Upon iiurther movement of the rolls together, :as shown in Fig. 5., the entry of the projecting sharp cornered ridge defined :byxsurfaces 13 an 14 of the upper roll into the gutter thekcurling over of the rim -:of"the gutter, at the'fiaime time as the surface 14 bears on the portion :of the rim betweenthe rim base :1" and the gutter forcing it down and flattening out the angle therebetween Similarly, the surfaces 17 and 26 of the upper and lower rolls, respectively, begin to give the final form to the ring flange f.

Figure *2 corresponds to the completion of the rolling operation in which thesnrfaces 1 6 and 17 of the upper roil and 24, '26., 27 of the lower roll have completed the formation of the rim Rand the flange F, the projecting sharpzed-ged flange l3, 1% has pushed the bottom of the gait-tor down into t in the lower roll, the surface gaged the edge of the gutter Gr, limiting the curling tendencytheneof,and the upper gportions of the surface 12 have formed the exterior edge of the rim of the gutter. Following this, the rolls will be separated as shown in Fig. 6 to permit the removal of the finished article and the insertion of another ring to berolled.

Although the invention has been 1 described in connection with a specific product, the scope thereof is not to be so limited but only as set forth in the foil owing claims.

1. Apparatus for rolling wheel rims comprising co-operating rolls, having relative movements of approach and separation, one .of said roll-s havinga surface corresponding substantially to the shape of the entire undersi'de of the cross section of the finished rim,the other having surfaces of varying angularity which effect a shifting contact with said rim edge during approach of the rolls thereby bending the edge of said rim 1 transversely to overhang the base of the rim.

2. An apparatus for rolling wheel rims comprising cooperating'rotatable rolls havrelative approach and separation movements, there being a substantially conical being a substantially conical surface 'composed of 'zones of varying angularity on one ofsaid rolls and an angular ridge adjacent thereto, :a groove on the other of said rolls opposite said ridge, the said conical surface contacting initially with the edge of the'rim on approach of the rolls and causing a bending thereof on further approach while the said ridge limits the amount of .said bending and forms the rim to the shape of said groove. i

4.. .An apparatus for rolling wheel rims comprising a pair of cooperating rolls, one of said rolls having a surface corresponding substantially to the entire underside of the cross section of the finished rim including the groove complementa-l to the underside of the gutter, and the other roll having .a surface corresponding to the upper side of the cross section of the finished base and fixed flange of the rim, and a surface of substanresponding to the under side of the rim .gut-

ter, a groove on the other roll corresponding to the edge of the finished product but lying inwardly of the plane of the outer edge of the first named groove, a ridge lying inwardly of the groove and having its inner ide complemental to the inner side of the gutter and its outer side non-complemental to and spaced from the gutter, together with a leading-in surface for said groove of the gutter edge and of gradually increasing transverse inclination.

6. A machine of the character described, a pair of coacting rolls adapted to form the gutter of a wheel. rim, one roll having a groove of the shape of the under side of the gutter, the other a coacting groove adapted to receive the edge of the formed gutter which groove lies inwardly of the outer edge of the first named groove, and a ridge adjoining the utter edge groove and complemental to the inner side of the first named groove.

in a plane inwardly removed from the outsideof the first named groove and a leadingin surface for said second named groove.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a pair of cooperating rolls, one of which is provided with a groove complemental to the under side of the gutter of a finished rim and the other of which is provided with a groove complemental to the edge of the finished rim gutter, together with aleading-in surface for said latter groove of gradually increasing inclination.

9. In a machine of the character described, a pair of cooperating rolls, one of which is provided with forming surfaces complemental to a rim base and lying substantially parallel to a roll axis, and also with a groove complemental to an inwardly inclined rim gutter and the other of which rolls is provided with complemental rim base forming faces and non-complemental gutter forming faces. I

10. Apparatus for forming wheel rims comprising cooperating opposed dies, having relative radial approach and separation movements, there being a substantially conical surface of varying angularity on one of said opposed dies which contacts with said rim at the edge thereof and successively inward of said edge as the said approach movement occurs, whereby'said edge is gradually curled to overhang the base of the rim.

11. Apparatus for forming wheel rims comprising cooperating dies, relatively movable in a common plane, there being a sub stantially conical surface composed of zones of varying angularity on one of said dies, and an angular ridge adjacent thereto, a groove on the other of said dies opposite said ridge, the conical surface contacting initially with the edge of the rim on approach of the dies, causing a bending thereof on further approach, while the said ridge limits the amount of said bending and forms the rim to the shape of said groove.

12. An apparatus for forming wheel rims with a gutter comprising cooperating dies, one of said dies having a surface corresponding substantially to the entire underside of the cross section of the finished rim including the groove complemental to the underside of the gutter, and the other die having a surface corresponding to the upper side of the cross section of the finished base and fixed flange of the rim, and a surface of substantially conical form adapted to engage the edge of the gutter supported in said groove and deflect the same transversely of the die faces.

In testimony whereof he hereunto affixes 

